Company news: Elsevier, AstraZeneca, GSK

Publisher Elsevier announced Monday that its Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications will be heftier than in years past. Publisher Andrew Miller told MM&M that the page budget is 50% larger than in 2010, and that he expects issues to include about 18 articles as opposed to the usual 12. Miller also said he expects the publication to increase its frequency, from six issues to 12 by 2013 or 2014. “We are facing a major international public health crisis with the increase of diabetes. Dissemination of high-quality research will help stem this epidemic,” the new editor-in-chief Dr. Vivian Fonseca said in a statement. Part of the change includes the appointment of Fonseca, the chief of endocrinology at Tulane University's Medical Center, as well as of Drs. Stefano Del Prato in Pisa, Italy, and Steven Kahn from Seattle, who have signed on as associate editors. Miller said the plan to go big began when he became publisher three years ago. “Elsevier's footprint in this subject area was too small given prevalence and challenge of disease,” Miller said.

US District Court Judge Joel Pisano gave AstraZeneca some breathing room when he asserted the drugmaker's Seroquel XR patent is to stay in place through 2017. The lawsuit, brought by drug companies including Anchen, Osmotica, Torrent and Mylan, centered around the patent referred to as ‘437. Plaintiffs argued that the patent should not stand for reasons that included obviousness. Pisano said in his written opinion that Seroquel XR's market success “is primarily due to its unique combination of FDA approved indications and, therefore, there is the requisite nexus between the commercial success of Seroquel XR and the ‘437 patent.” The Seroquel franchise, which also includes Seroquel XR, grossed $5.8 billion in sales last year, up from $5.3 billion in 2010.

GlaxoSmithKline and Dainippon Sumitomo will co-promote GSK's antidepressant Paxil CR Tablets in 12.5gm and 25mg doses in Japan. The agreement went into effect Sunday and applies to medical institution marketing. GSK will handle sales and distribution. The insurance price has yet to be determined, according to a company statement. The latest agreement is in addition to a “basic agreement” the two companies signed January 19.

Strategy firm Delta Point and videoconferencing group Doctor Insights announced the formalization of their partnership Friday. Delta Point CEO Jerry Acuff told MM&M that the two groups have been working together for about a year. He said Doctor Insights is primarily a focus group recruiting service that helps finds candidates as well as ships equipment to doctors so they can log in and participate from their offices or homes.